Jeter Bristles at Yankees' Negotiating Tactics

By

Brian Costa

Updated Dec. 8, 2010 12:01 a.m. ET

TAMPA, Fla.—They gathered at a table under an outdoor tent. And for the better part of an hour, they did their best to put any hard feelings aside, like a dysfunctional family sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.

The Yankees talked about the greatness of Derek Jeter. Mr. Jeter said he never wanted to leave. But behind the smiles and the compliments, it was obvious Tuesday that something had changed.

Mr. Jeter is a Yankee once more, having signed a three-year contract with a player option for 2014. But the path they took to reach the deal, which will pay him at least $51 million, put a strain on the relationship between the Yankees and their captain.

At a news conference at Steinbrenner Field, Mr. Jeter was candid about his unhappiness with the way the negotiations played out.

"The thing that probably bothered me the most was how public this became," he said. "The negotiations were supposed to be private, so it was an uncomfortable position I was in. It was not an enjoyable experience."

Mr. Jeter said he was upset by the perception that he was driven by greed or ego. And he said he was particularly annoyed when general manager Brian Cashman dared him to test the open market if he didn't like the Yankees' offer.

When he heard about Mr. Cashman's comments, Mr. Jeter said, "I was angry about it because I was the one who said I didn't want to [test the open market]. I was the one who said I wasn't going to do it. So to hear the organization tell you to shop it when I just told you I wasn't going to…I was angry about it."

Mr. Jeter and Mr. Cashman sat side-by-side during the brief, televised portion of the news conference. But they did not speak directly to each other. When manager Joe Girardi stood at the podium to introduce Mr. Jeter, the shortstop and the GM looked straight ahead.

For his part, Mr. Cashman was unapologetic. He described his comments as a necessary part of what can be an ugly process and said he had no regrets.

"I was angry that I was put in a position to have to respond," he said. "Anger met anger."

Mr. Cashman was referring to previous comments made by Mr. Jeter's agent, Casey Close, who said he was "baffled" by the Yankees' negotiating tactics. But after bemoaning the public nature of the talks, Mr. Jeter took no responsibility for the public comments of his agent.

"I don't have to be accountable for his opinion," he said.

Mr. Jeter, 36, did hold himself accountable for his mediocre performance last season. He said he understood why it raised concerns and that it was up to him to prove he is not in decline. But both he and Mr. Cashman said a position change was never discussed during the negotiations.

"He can play shortstop for us still, right now," Mr. Cashman said. "If he plays himself off the position, we'll adjust."

Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and his sister, Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal, also were seated at a table next to the podium, along with Felix Lopez, the team's senior vice president. Mr. Close and Mr. Jeter's father, Charles, sat off to the side.

Hank Steinbrenner played the role of the crazy uncle at the family gathering. There was initially a name placard for him next to his siblings, but it was removed at the last minute, so he just lurked outside the tent.

A little more than a week ago, it was difficult to imagine them all here together. Negotiations were at a standstill. Tensions on both sides were rising. But Mr. Jeter said he never considered playing for another team.

"I didn't want to talk to any other teams," he said. "I didn't want to hear from any other teams. And I told Casey that."

Mr. Jeter was unlikely to do better than what the Yankees were offering, anyway. But it took a four-hour meeting between the Jeter camp and Yankees officials at an undisclosed location in Tampa on Nov. 30 to set the talks in motion.

"It was escalating, no doubt, which is why we sat down, face to face, and started hashing this thing out," Hal Steinbrenner said. "It was a difficult three or four weeks, but we got it done."

Mr. Steinbrenner said he, Mr. Cashman and Mr. Jeter sealed the deal during another face-to-face meeting Saturday in New York. It took another 48 hours for Mr. Jeter to take a physical and for lawyers to finalize the language in the contract.

Since Mr. Cashman was in Lake Buena Vista for the winter meetings and Mr. Jeter lives in Tampa, they held the news conference at the Yankees' spring training home.

Now, the feud between the Yankees and Mr. Jeter is behind them, even if it is not quite so easily forgotten.

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